Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9 : Es’hail-2 : Nov 15, 2018 : KSC 39A - DISCUSSION  (Read 59446 times)

Offline Skyrocket

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2631
  • Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Liked: 940
  • Likes Given: 172
Discussion Thread for Es'hail-2 mission.

NSF Threads for Es'hail-2 : Discussion / Updates
NSF Articles for Es'hail-2 :

Successful launch November 15, 2018 at 2046 GMT (3:46 p.m. EST) on Falcon 9 (booster 1047.2) from LC-39A to GTO.  Successful ASDS landing.



Es'hailSat Satellites
Quote
With the success of Es’hail-1 and the growing demand for a range of satellite services in the MENA region, we are currently working on the manufacture of our second satellite Es’hail-2.

Scheduled for launch in 2018, this high-powered, advanced satellite will further boost broadband delivery, broadcasting and global connectivity in Qatar, the entire region and beyond.

Es’hail-2 is being manufactured in Japan by MELCO (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation).

Es’hail-2 will have Ku-band [24 transponders] and Ka-band [11 transponders] capabilities and support TV distribution, telecoms and government services to strategic stakeholders and commercial customers who value broadcasting independence, interference resilience, quality of service and wide geographical coverage. 

The satellite will also provide greater capability for anti-jamming protection and redundancy and back-up for Es’hail-1.

Es’hail-2 will also provide the first Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) geostationary communication capability that connects users across the visible globe in one single hop and in real-time.

It will allow also the AMSAT community to validate and demonstrate their DVB standard.

[Press Release Sep. 8, 2014] Mitsubishi Electric to Deliver Satellite to Qatari Operator
[SpaceNews Sep. 12, 2014] Es’hailSat Taps Mitsubishi for 1st Fully Owned Satellite

[Gulf Times Dec. 28, 2014] Es’hailSat selects SpaceX to launch second satellite
Quote
Es'hailSat has selected SpaceX to launch their Es'hail-2 comsat on a Falcon-9 rocket in the fourth quarter of 2016 from Cape Canaveral.
[SpaceNews Dec. 29, 2014] Es’hailSat Taps SpaceX for 2016 Launch
[SpaceflightNow Dec. 29, 2014] SpaceX selected for launch of Qatari satellite

[SpaceNews Sep. 8, 2015] Es’hail-2 Clears Design Review at Melco
[SpaceWatch Middle East June 2016] Es’hailSat’s Es’hail-2 undergoes vacuum chamber test in Japan

Es'hail 2 at Gunter's Space Page, Aerospace Technology


Other SpaceX resources on NASASpaceflight:
   SpaceX News Articles (Recent)
   SpaceX News Articles from 2006 (Including numerous exclusive Elon interviews)
   SpaceX Dragon Articles
   SpaceX Missions Section (with Launch Manifest and info on past and future missions)

   L2 SpaceX Section
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 11:24 pm by gongora »

Offline friendly3

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 271
  • Liege. BELGIUM.
  • Liked: 306
  • Likes Given: 8567
According to Anthony Baker, Chief Strategy Officer of the Es'hailSat Qatar Satellite Company, the second series of Es’hail satellite will weigh about three tonnes, much smaller than Es’hail 1 which weighed 6,310 kg.

Offline laika_fr

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 199
  • Liked: 81
  • Likes Given: 42
"lot's of rockets from the cape" Gwynne once said.  8)

Guess those two 2016 FHs were a aperitive.
a shrubbery on Mars

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
Quote
2016
...
4th quarter - Es’hail 2 - Falcon 9 - Canaveral SLC-40 (or 2017)
...

- On the customers page
https://www.eshailsat.qa/en/satellites
this launch is scheduled for Q3 2017

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 48174
  • UK
    • Plan 28
  • Liked: 81684
  • Likes Given: 36941
Quote
Peter B. de Selding‏ @pbdes 8s8 seconds ago

Qatari sat operator @eshailSat's Es'hail-2 Ka-Ku sat for 26E (@ME_Europe build, @SpaceX launch) slips again, to 2018, Es'hailSat says.

https://twitter.com/pbdes/status/844552243399528448

Offline rockets4life97

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 798
  • Liked: 538
  • Likes Given: 365
Any chance this is the mystery Nov 10 flight that was moved back into 2017?

Do we know if the satellite is sitting in storage somewhere?

Edit: This looks to be the last satellite that was originally 2016 on the manifest before Amos-6. At 3000k this should be able to RTLS. The last word on this being 2018 was in March, so no recent update.
« Last Edit: 10/14/2017 01:21 pm by rockets4life97 »

Online Galactic Penguin SST

Any chance this is the mystery Nov 10 flight that was moved back into 2017?

Do we know if the satellite is sitting in storage somewhere?

The customer page 2 posts above now says launching in 2018.

Astronomy & spaceflight geek penguin. In a relationship w/ Space Shuttle Discovery. Current Priority: Chasing the Chinese Spaceflight Wonder Egg & A Certain Chinese Mars Rover

Offline SmallKing

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 426
  • Zhejiang, China, the Earth
  • Liked: 189
  • Likes Given: 220
Any chance this is the mystery Nov 10 flight that was moved back into 2017?

Do we know if the satellite is sitting in storage somewhere?
No way. GEO sat needs sea landing
Some are bound for happiness, some are bound to glory, some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story?

Offline envy887

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8144
  • Liked: 6801
  • Likes Given: 2965
Any chance this is the mystery Nov 10 flight that was moved back into 2017?

Do we know if the satellite is sitting in storage somewhere?
No way. GEO sat needs sea landing
Block 5 should be able to launch a small sat to GTO with RTLS. Up to around 3000-3500 kg.

This likely isn't a Block 5 booster though, and I'm not sure Block 4 can do it.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
Tweet from Es'hailSat:
Quote
Es'hail-2 reached a major milestone in spacecraft completion, with successful completion of critical acoustic and vibration tests.

(found via retweet by Caleb Henry)

Offline jebbo

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 940
  • Cambridge, UK
  • Liked: 608
  • Likes Given: 309
Their ad just popped up on my Twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/eshailsat/status/949853116278517760

Don't think there's anything new, but thought it was interesting they're promoting themselves

--- Tony

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
Tweet from Es'hailSat:
Quote
Es'hail-2 reached a major milestone in spacecraft and ground compatibility, with successful completion of TT&C RF and baseband compatibility tests.

Offline AncientU

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6257
  • Liked: 4164
  • Likes Given: 6078
Tweet from Es'hailSat:
Quote
Es'hail-2 reached a major milestone in spacecraft and ground compatibility, with successful completion of TT&C RF and baseband compatibility tests.

Seems that SpaceX is getting closer to having zero backlog.  This and SES-12 are still in testing and are a few months down the manifest.  Iridium is a few months from fully deployed.
"If we shared everything [we are working on] people would think we are insane!"
-- SpaceX friend of mlindner

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11188
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72504
Any signs of the satellite's departure from MELCO, or impending delivery to SpaceX facilities at Cape Canaveral?

I assume delivery will be via An-124?


Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2018
<snip>
Late August - Es’hail 2 (AMSAT P4A) - Falcon 9 - Canaveral SLC-40 (or Early September)
« Last Edit: 07/27/2018 05:49 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Michael Baylor

  • NSF Reporter
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 901
  • Liked: 4868
  • Likes Given: 865
Any signs of the satellite's departure from MELCO, or impending delivery to SpaceX facilities at Cape Canaveral?

I assume delivery will be via An-124?
Not that I have seen. Not an expert on shipment tracking though.

Offline TripleSeven

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1145
  • Istanbul Turkey and Santa Fe TEXAS USA
  • Liked: 588
  • Likes Given: 2095
hope this goes, the amateur radio payload on it is amazing...and the station here is ready for it :)


Offline mazen hesham

  • Member
  • Posts: 58
  • Egypt
  • Liked: 39
  • Likes Given: 9
This tweet from April says the satellite will be launched in Q4 2018, Is there a reason it got pumped up to September ? or was that just a mistake from Ben Cooper who announced it on his website ?
https://twitter.com/eshailsat/status/990186733366120448
« Last Edit: 07/27/2018 02:12 am by mazen hesham »

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
This tweet from April says the satellite will be launched in Q4 2018, Is there a reason it got pumped up to September ? or was that just a mistake from Ben Cooper who announced it on his website ?
https://twitter.com/eshailsat/status/990186733366120448

It was moved up on our schedule based on Ben Cooper's site (which has apparently changed).  I haven't seen anything else saying it's ready.  They haven't filed for the FCC permit yet, and it wasn't on the most recent DOT schedule of incoming charter flights (although the last one to be posted is a couple weeks old now.)
« Last Edit: 07/27/2018 02:20 am by gongora »

Offline crandles57

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 614
  • Sychdyn
  • Liked: 431
  • Likes Given: 136
https://www.teslarati.com/new-spacex-falcon-9-booster-cape-canaveral-florida/

dated 1 Aug 2018 says

Quote
B1050 will likely be tasked with lifting communications satellite Es’hail-2 in very late August or early September.

reliable or ... ?

Maybe fit it in but only if DM1 delayed so schedule uncertainty?

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
https://www.teslarati.com/new-spacex-falcon-9-booster-cape-canaveral-florida/

dated 1 Aug 2018 says

Quote
B1050 will likely be tasked with lifting communications satellite Es’hail-2 in very late August or early September.

reliable or ... ?

Maybe fit it in but only if DM1 delayed so schedule uncertainty?

I'm skeptical (and I wouldn't worry much about DM-1 affecting any flight other than possibly STP-2).

Offline Michael Baylor

  • NSF Reporter
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 901
  • Liked: 4868
  • Likes Given: 865
SFN is also reporting NET August for Es'hail. I would agree that this looks very unlikely at this point based on the lack of FCC permits.
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

Offline TripleSeven

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1145
  • Istanbul Turkey and Santa Fe TEXAS USA
  • Liked: 588
  • Likes Given: 2095
SFN is also reporting NET August for Es'hail. I would agree that this looks very unlikely at this point based on the lack of FCC permits.
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

it has a great amateur radio payload on it....my 4 meter dish is ready :)

Offline Comga

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6466
  • Liked: 4572
  • Likes Given: 5136
SFN is also reporting NET August for Es'hail. I would agree that this looks very unlikely at this point based on the lack of FCC permits.
https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/

No more
As of today SFN says "4th Quarter Falcon 9 • Es’hail 2"
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline vaporcobra

Es'hailSat confirmed a Q4 2018 NET earlier today.

https://twitter.com/eshailsat/status/1024898547165093890

Edit: just realized that "NET earlier today" is sneaky lil' palindrome :)
« Last Edit: 08/02/2018 05:48 pm by vaporcobra »

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
The flight for Es'hail 2

Online scr00chy

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1186
  • Czechia
    • ElonX.net
  • Liked: 1685
  • Likes Given: 1596
Launch Photography seems to suggest that Es'hail 2 will be the next Falcon launch from Florida. So if the satellite is shipped in early October, the launch could probably happen sometime in the first half of November, before CRS-16.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
This flight and CRS-16 might be from different pads.  There was an FCC filing for a launch from 39A (which doesn't guarantee it's from 39A, but that seems to be the plan when it was filed.)

Online scr00chy

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1186
  • Czechia
    • ElonX.net
  • Liked: 1685
  • Likes Given: 1596
This flight and CRS-16 might be from different pads.  There was an FCC filing for a launch from 39A (which doesn't guarantee it's from 39A, but that seems to be the plan when it was filed.)
Launch Photography confirms this will launch from 39A:
Quote
The next SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral will launch the Es'Hail-2 communication
satellite for Qatar from pad 39A on November TBD.

Online Chris Bergin

SpaceX opened media accreditation for it just now for November.
« Last Edit: 10/04/2018 10:51 pm by Chris Bergin »
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11188
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72504
The flight for Es'hail 2

A heads-up to our Space Coast plane-spotters to BOLO for an An-124 arriving/departing from Space Coast Regional Airport.

(Assuming that "Titusville" is specific, and not a delivery to the somewhere else in the vicinity, such as the SLF at the Space Center, or the former "Skid Strip" at the Air Force Station.)
« Last Edit: 10/23/2018 02:13 am by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
Es'hailSat confirmed a Q4 2018 NET earlier today.

https://twitter.com/eshailsat/status/1024898547165093890

Edit: just realized that "NET earlier today" is sneaky lil' palindrome :)
Actually... it's a recursive acronym like GNU  (GNU's Not Unix).
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline crandles57

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 614
  • Sychdyn
  • Liked: 431
  • Likes Given: 136
http://www.arrl.org/news/amsat-dl-symposium-hears-update-on-es-hail-2-geostationary-satellite

Quote
Es’hail-2 is set to go into space this fall or early winter aboard a SpaceX vehicle; a specific launch date is not available.

Does that sound like it is slipping later than
http://www.launchphotography.com/Delta_4_Atlas_5_Falcon_9_Launch_Viewing.html
'November TBD' ?

(both date Oct 4)

Different launch pad so suppose it could be quite close in time to CRS-16's planned 27th Nov.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
Looks like this satellite was delivered to the Cape a couple days ago.  (The email account where I get my alerts wasn't updating for some reason.)
« Last Edit: 10/11/2018 02:26 am by gongora »

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11188
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72504
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline .Scott

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
  • NH
  • Liked: 8
  • Likes Given: 17
Given that Es'hail will not use a booster for the third time, it would have to be 1047.2 or a 105x.
It's 16 days away - surely we should be able to uncover this.

Offline Jakusb

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1207
  • NL
  • Liked: 1215
  • Likes Given: 637
Given that Es'hail will not use a booster for the third time, it would have to be 1047.2 or a 105x.
It's 16 days away - surely we should be able to uncover this.
Unfortunately we have about 5 candidates. Not even info if a core will be re-used. 
We will know more beginning of November.

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11188
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72504
Cross-post:
Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2018
November 15 - Cygnus NG-10 (CRS-10), SASSI2, NSLSat 1, ThinSat 1A, ThinSat 1B, ThinSat 1C, ThinSat 1D, ThinSat 1E, ThinSat 1F, ThinSat 1G, ThinSat 1H, ThinSat 1I, ThinSat 1J, ThinSat 1K, ThinSat 1L - Antares-230 - MARS LP-0A - 09:49
November    14   15 - Es’hail 2 (AMSAT P4A) - Falcon 9 - Kennedy LC-39A - 20:46-22:27

Changes on November 5th

No conflict between these two launches on the Eastern Test Range, same date?
« Last Edit: 11/05/2018 08:16 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline Jirka Dlouhy

  • Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 315
  • Kladno, Czech Republic
  • Liked: 2
  • Likes Given: 5
Cross-post:
Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2018
November 15 - Cygnus NG-10 (CRS-10), SASSI2, NSLSat 1, ThinSat 1A, ThinSat 1B, ThinSat 1C, ThinSat 1D, ThinSat 1E, ThinSat 1F, ThinSat 1G, ThinSat 1H, ThinSat 1I, ThinSat 1J, ThinSat 1K, ThinSat 1L - Antares-230 - MARS LP-0A - 09:49
November    14   15 - Es’hail 2 (AMSAT P4A) - Falcon 9 - Kennedy LC-39A - 20:46-22:27

Changes on November 5th

No conflict between these two launches on the ETR, same date?
These two launches aren't on the ETR, Cygnus from Virginia (MARS or WFF) and Eshail 2 from KSC (ETR)

Offline zubenelgenubi

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11188
  • Arc to Arcturus, then Spike to Spica
  • Sometimes it feels like Trantor in the time of Hari Seldon
  • Liked: 7405
  • Likes Given: 72504
Cross-post:
Scheduled:
Date - Satellite(s) - Rocket - Launch Site - Time (UTC)

2018
November 15 - Cygnus NG-10 (CRS-10), SASSI2, NSLSat 1, ThinSat 1A, ThinSat 1B, ThinSat 1C, ThinSat 1D, ThinSat 1E, ThinSat 1F, ThinSat 1G, ThinSat 1H, ThinSat 1I, ThinSat 1J, ThinSat 1K, ThinSat 1L - Antares-230 - MARS LP-0A - 09:49
November    14   15 - Es’hail 2 (AMSAT P4A) - Falcon 9 - Kennedy LC-39A - 20:46-22:27

Changes on November 5th

No conflict between these two launches on the ETR, same date?
These two launches aren't on the ETR, Cygnus from Virginia (MARS or WFF) and Eshail 2 from KSC (ETR)
Yes, but there are, I think, some commonalities between the Eastern Range and the Wallops Flight Facility Range.

Is this true?

If so, do these commonalities preclude near-simultaneous use of range facilities?

Or, have the recent range upgrades, or Falcon 9's use of AFSS, rendered such a potential range usage conflict moot (approximately 11 hours between launches)?
« Last Edit: 11/05/2018 10:01 pm by zubenelgenubi »
Support your local planetarium! (COVID-panic and forward: Now more than ever.) My current avatar is saying "i wants to go uppies!" Yes, there are God-given rights. Do you wish to gainsay the Declaration of Independence?

Offline crandles57

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 614
  • Sychdyn
  • Liked: 431
  • Likes Given: 136
Given that Es'hail will not use a booster for the third time, it would have to be 1047.2 or a 105x.
It's 16 days away - surely we should be able to uncover this.
Unfortunately we have about 5 candidates. Not even info if a core will be re-used. 
We will know more beginning of November.

We will?

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 48174
  • UK
    • Plan 28
  • Liked: 81684
  • Likes Given: 36941

Offline .Scott

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
  • NH
  • Liked: 8
  • Likes Given: 17
Since they seem to have quite a few requests from the Air Force for unused boosters, I would guess they are saving the those up.  If so, we should expect 1047.2.

But quite interesting that SpaceX is at the stage where they have such a choice among their fleet.
It seems their launch capacity exceeds their current market.  Gone are the days when most rockets had a specific mission before they were built.

Offline smoliarm

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 831
  • Moscow, Russia
  • Liked: 717
  • Likes Given: 611
...
It seems their launch capacity exceeds their current market...

SpaceX had a major failure 3 years ago (Sep 1 2016) which put them out of action for ca 5 months and resulted in launch delays. Moreover, at the time of that accident SpaceX already had - significant backlog. As a result, they did stop taking new orders (or at least reduced the number) - until they (a) solve the issues and (b) has clear idea on WHEN they will be done with backlog.
In other words, in that period (fall 2016 - spring 2017) they did not know yet TWO answers:
* how much time it will take to resolve the issues;
* and how much time it will take to zero the backlog.
So they did not take enough launch orders.

Typical lead time between the sat order and launch is about 2 to 3 years, so, AIUI, right now we are seeing this very effect of AMOS 6 pad failure.

So instead of
"their launch capacity exceeds their current market"
one could formulate the current situation as
"SpaceX did finish their backlog faster than they expected in fall 2016."

=============
Here is one more thing about launch rates:
The *AMOS 6 failure* happened when another major commercial launch provider - ILS' Proton - was in crisis, and yet one more - Sea Lunch - went defunct.  So, from the point of view of credit banks the situation was as bad as "three of four major launch providers are out of the game, and it's unclear when (and if) they will be back".
Indeed, if I search launch logs for the last ten years for *commercial* launches to *GTO/GEO*, I see mostly Ariane 5, Proton and Zenit - with Falcon 9 joining the party recently. That's it, all other launch vehicles are rare and comprise together (Atlas V + CS-3B + H-2A) less than 10% of the resulting pool.

No bank wants HIS money (in the form of satellite built on a loan) to sit on the ground in storage waiting for endless delays. Banks better wait them-self - "for clear skies"

IMHO, this is the real reason behind the notorious GEO-satellite orders drought of 2017.
"Money holders" made a choice to wait. :)

Offline Norm38

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1696
  • Liked: 1272
  • Likes Given: 2317
Per the updates thread, since I had to look it up, this is core 1047, making its second flight, and the third Block 5 reflight.

Online Orbiter

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2996
  • Florida
  • Liked: 1548
  • Likes Given: 1385
Going to assume no static fire today?
KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Offline penguin44

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 246
  • Liked: 93
  • Likes Given: 334
Going to assume no static fire today?
as per update thread, vehicle is vertical and ready for static on Monday.

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8407
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2345
  • Likes Given: 2060
They aborted the 9 AM static fire attempt this morning, but since the window lasts until 3 PM, could they try again soon? Or will the static fire be scrubbed until tomorrow?
« Last Edit: 11/12/2018 01:44 pm by ZachS09 »
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline Wolfram66

BALK!  to use a baseball term...

Offline Alexphysics

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1605
  • Spain
  • Liked: 5917
  • Likes Given: 945
They aborted the 9 AM static fire attempt this morning, but since the window lasts until 3 PM, could they try again soon? Or will the static fire be scrubbed until tomorrow?

They have demonstrated recycling capabilities in the past so in terms of having time to recycle the count, they could do that at least two times more based on the Merah Putih Static Fire (2 loading cycles in about 2 and a half hours). Right now it depends on what caused the abort, if they have to go an check it out by themselves, it will probably be delayed until tomorrow. If the abort was caused by a minor thing then they could try again today, it is a 6 hour window...

Offline MattBaker

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 359
  • Liked: 348
  • Likes Given: 253
Window should have closed, did anything happen at the end of it?

If not, when's the next window and does this push back the launch to Friday?

And any word on why they had to abort this morning?

edit: Guess Chris' tweet answers half of this, patience is a virtue.
« Last Edit: 11/12/2018 07:15 pm by MattBaker »

Offline Yeknom-Ecaps

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 348
  • Liked: 24
  • Likes Given: 7
Is there a mission logo/patch for this mission?

Offline IanThePineapple

Is there a mission logo/patch for this mission?

Probably, and it will be revealed after a successful static fire, like all previous patches.

Offline JoerTex

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 211
  • Austin, Texas
  • Liked: 432
  • Likes Given: 482
SpaceX has the Mission WebCast posted.


Offline dgates

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 155
  • Liked: 70
  • Likes Given: 44
Anybody seen a weather update?  Latest I’ve seen is L-2 forecast, which had 60% go.....
Pilot

Online Paul_G

Official SpaceX photo

This photo shows a head on view of the first cladding panel on the tower. Any view on whether there would be an additional 'exterior' surface attached to this, as there are some vertical risers visible on that panel that look like they would be used to attach something onto.

Paul

Offline JoerTex

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 211
  • Austin, Texas
  • Liked: 432
  • Likes Given: 482
Still 60% with 90% for tomorrow.

You can get weather and other launch info at this link   https://www.patrick.af.mil

45 Space Wing.  It's obvious.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 04:09 pm by gongora »

Offline DaveJes1979

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 319
  • Toontown, CA
  • Liked: 86
  • Likes Given: 6
What?? Did you see the first stage pass some sort of balloon on its way down?

I saw it, too.  It was an object of some sort.

Offline VoodooForce

  • Member
  • Posts: 94
  • Canberra
  • Liked: 78
  • Likes Given: 714
Fairly slow moving and not far from the booster  ???

Offline jak Kennedy

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 261
  • Liked: 134
  • Likes Given: 743
What?? Did you see the first stage pass some sort of balloon on its way down?

I saw it, too.  It was an object of some sort.

Glad it wasn’t just me. It was around the 6 minute mark.
... the way that we will ratchet up our species, is to take the best and to spread it around everybody, so that everybody grows up with better things. - Steve Jobs

Online matthewkantar

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2076
  • Liked: 2506
  • Likes Given: 2211
It was ice or something that came off the booster.
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 08:00 pm by matthewkantar »

Offline Helodriver

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1076
  • Liked: 5971
  • Likes Given: 700
The cladding panel was semitransparent as light and structure could be seen through it. Seems to be a metallic mesh.

Offline DaveJes1979

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 319
  • Toontown, CA
  • Liked: 86
  • Likes Given: 6
It was ice or something that came off the booster.

It seems unlikely that any ice build-up could have made it all the way to MECO.  Someone ask Elon what his unidentified falling object is.

Offline CraigLieb

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1193
  • Dallas Fort Worth
  • Liked: 1349
  • Likes Given: 2394
Here are a couple screen caps of it
On the ground floor of the National Space Foundation... Colonize Mars!

Offline Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
A few posts moved from the update thread. You guys know better.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline Comga

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6466
  • Liked: 4572
  • Likes Given: 5136
Screen cap of object being passed by descending first stage near 6 minute mark
Dark dot over blue sky near limb on right.
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 08:12 pm by Comga »
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline apace

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 812
  • Liked: 4
  • Likes Given: 2
A few seconds later you had a second object passing on the other side of the rocket. Barely visible.

Offline DaveJes1979

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 319
  • Toontown, CA
  • Liked: 86
  • Likes Given: 6
People are posting comments and pics of the object under Elon's twitter post.
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 08:16 pm by DaveJes1979 »

Online ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
It was ice or something that came off the booster.

It seems unlikely that any ice build-up could have made it all the way to MECO.  Someone ask Elon what his unidentified falling object is.

You know, there's that whole matter of GOX venting post-MECO near the engine nozzles to condition the engines for the reentry burn. If ice flakes can form on a MVac, who's to say ice can't form at the base of the first stage at those bleed vents?

This was hardly the first time such bits were seen cruising by, people have attributed them to pieces of TPS in the past.
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 08:19 pm by ugordan »

Offline dcporter

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 881
  • Liked: 266
  • Likes Given: 422
Video of it going by.

Offline Comga

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6466
  • Liked: 4572
  • Likes Given: 5136
Spacecraft separation
Another success, both launch and landing
Congratulations to SpaceX and all involved
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8485
  • Likes Given: 5384
Video of it going by.

Obviously a tiny bit of ice or debris knocked loose by the engines or thrusters. People who think it is a balloon do not grasp how fast the stage is falling at this point.
« Last Edit: 11/15/2018 08:23 pm by Lars-J »

Offline Brovane

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1285
  • United States
  • Liked: 828
  • Likes Given: 1797
People are posting comments and pics of the object under Elon's twitter post.

And people wonder why Shotwell doesn't have a Twitter account. 
"Look at that! If anybody ever said, "you'll be sitting in a spacecraft naked with a 134-pound backpack on your knees charging it", I'd have said "Aw, get serious". - John Young - Apollo-16

Online daveglo

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 544
  • "a big enough engine, even a water tower can fly"
  • St. Louis, MO, USA
  • Liked: 675
  • Likes Given: 631
Satellite picked up a noticeable rotation upon separation.  Would that be expected?  Seemed higher than past missions.

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8485
  • Likes Given: 5384
Satellite picked up a noticeable rotation upon separation.  Would that be expected?  Seemed higher than past missions.

No, that is a pretty usual deployment rotation.

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8485
  • Likes Given: 5384
It was ice or something that came off the booster.

It seems unlikely that any ice build-up could have made it all the way to MECO.  Someone ask Elon what his unidentified falling object is.

Believe it or not, but some ice does stay attached to the booster all the way from launch to landing.

Offline DaveJes1979

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 319
  • Toontown, CA
  • Liked: 86
  • Likes Given: 6
People are posting comments and pics of the object under Elon's twitter post.

And people wonder why Shotwell doesn't have a Twitter account.

I'm not saying it was aliens...but it was aliens.   ;D

Offline punder

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1238
  • Liked: 1827
  • Likes Given: 1436
The USAF has posted a definitive identification of the object. Just a weather balloon. ;)

Offline Steven Pietrobon

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39218
  • Adelaide, Australia
    • Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive
  • Liked: 32738
  • Likes Given: 8196
Congratulations to SpaceX and Es'hailSat for the successful launch!

This leaked through before the webcast started.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Rocket Science

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10586
  • NASA Educator Astronaut Candidate Applicant 2002
  • Liked: 4548
  • Likes Given: 13523
The USAF has posted a definitive identification of the object. Just a weather balloon. ;)
Another notation for Project Blue Book... ;)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Online LouScheffer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3383
  • Liked: 6111
  • Likes Given: 837
A few notes for trajectory geeks.  Seemed like a lower than previous parking orbit - 165 km at seco-1, 188 km at seco-2.  Second stage should re-enter quickly.

Second stage second cutoff at 34356 km/hr = 9849 m/s.  Add 402 m/s for Earth rotation, so 10251 m/s.  This is almost exactly what they need for a GTO apogee, so neither sub nor super synchronous.

Last question is inclination.  This payload was supposed to be about 3000 kg.  The slightly heavier Bangabandhu (3700 kg) got down to a 19.3 degree inclination.  This should do better.  A quick guess shows reducing the mass from 3700 kg to 3000 kg should give an extra 80 m/s.  With this, SpaceX should be able to reduce the inclination to 18.4 degrees.

So final prediction 188 x 36000 km, inclined 18.4o, deficit 1640 m/s to GEO.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
A few notes for trajectory geeks.  Seemed like a lower than previous parking orbit - 165 km at seco-1, 188 km at seco-2.  Second stage should re-enter quickly.

Second stage second cutoff at 34356 km/hr = 9849 m/s.  Add 402 m/s for Earth rotation, so 10251 m/s.  This is almost exactly what they need for a GTO apogee, so neither sub nor super synchronous.

Last question is inclination.  This payload was supposed to be about 3000 kg.  The slightly heavier Bangabandhu (3700 kg) got down to a 19.3 degree inclination.  This should do better.  A quick guess shows reducing the mass from 3700 kg to 3000 kg should give an extra 80 m/s.  With this, SpaceX should be able to reduce the inclination to 18.4 degrees.

So final prediction 188 x 36000 km, inclined 18.4o, deficit 1640 m/s to GEO.

Spaceflight Now reported 5300kg mass.  That's the only recent mention I've seen of the satellite mass.

Online Orbiter

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2996
  • Florida
  • Liked: 1548
  • Likes Given: 1385
Shot of today's launch from my perspective
KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
1 43701U 18090B   18319.94689066 -.00001224  10658-5  00000+0 0  9997
2 43701  24.9938 199.7032 7396449 178.0428  49.1658  2.16443176    02

25 degrees, 200km perigee, 37500km apogee?

edit: around 1750m/s from GEO according to an online calculator
« Last Edit: 11/16/2018 12:46 am by gongora »

Online marsbase

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 429
  • North Carolina
  • Liked: 480
  • Likes Given: 82
Screen cap of object being passed by descending first stage near 6 minute mark
Dark dot over blue sky near limb on right.
A few seconds later you had a second object passing on the other side of the rocket. Barely visible.

The fairings seen as the booster catches up and passes them?  The screen captures posted by CraigLieb sure look like a fairing.

Offline flyright

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 495
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Liked: 716
  • Likes Given: 1882
SpaceX - Es"hail 2 - Launch And Track 11-15-2018

USLaunchReport
Published on Nov 15, 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-cWI2X8CTE?t=001



Gotta love the sound on this one. Almost like being there.

Offline 2megs

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 166
  • Liked: 383
  • Likes Given: 65
The fairings seen as the booster catches up and passes them?  The screen captures posted by CraigLieb sure look like a fairing.

Seems unlikely. Fairings are jettisoned about a minute after stage separation. During that time the booster is already in free fall while the second stage carries the fairings downrange and accelerates them by an additional 1000 km/hr or so.

Online gongora

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10205
  • US
  • Liked: 13885
  • Likes Given: 5933
[Spaceflight Now] SpaceX launches Qatar’s Es’hail 2 communications satellite
Quote
The satellite weighed around 11,700 pounds (5,300 kilograms) with its on-board propellants, according to Zoubair Kachri, Es’hailSat’s technical vice president.

Offline penguin44

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 246
  • Liked: 93
  • Likes Given: 334
The fairings seen as the booster catches up and passes them?  The screen captures posted by CraigLieb sure look like a fairing.
Seems unlikely. Fairings are jettisoned about a minute after stage separation. During that time the booster is already in free fall while the second stage carries the fairings downrange and accelerates them by an additional 1000 km/hr or so.

Looking at it in super zoom, albeit low resolution it looks like a bit of ice or something out of the engine. Looks like it was pushed out and then the booster passed it.

Online LouScheffer

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3383
  • Liked: 6111
  • Likes Given: 837

Last question is inclination.  This payload was supposed to be about 3000 kg.  The slightly heavier Bangabandhu (3700 kg) got down to a 19.3 degree inclination.  This should do better.  A quick guess shows reducing the mass from 3700 kg to 3000 kg should give an extra 80 m/s.  With this, SpaceX should be able to reduce the inclination to 18.4 degrees.

Spaceflight Now reported 5300kg mass.  That's the only recent mention I've seen of the satellite mass.

This page reported 3000 kg, as did Gunter's space page until recently (the google snippet still shows 3000 kg).  But the performance is that of a 5300 kg payload, so that's almost surely the right figure.

Offline Steven Pietrobon

  • Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 39218
  • Adelaide, Australia
    • Steven Pietrobon's Space Archive
  • Liked: 32738
  • Likes Given: 8196
Two cataloged objects launched by this mission:

2018-090A   2018-11-15 22:50 UTC - 201/37688km/25.02°
2018-090B   2018-11-15 22:43 UTC - 194/37539km/24.99°

1744 m/s to GSO.

http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/gto.zip

Enter initial perigee height (km): 201
Enter initial apogee height (km): 37688
Enter required inclination change (deg): 25.02

theta1 = 25.02 deg, dv1 = 1712.5 m/s
theta2 =  0.00 deg, dv2 =   33.7 m/s
dv = 1746.3 m/s

theta1 = 24.78 deg, dv1 = 1707.8 m/s
theta2 =  0.24 deg, dv2 =   36.1 m/s
dv = 1744.0 m/s
« Last Edit: 11/16/2018 05:44 am by Steven Pietrobon »
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline kessdawg

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 174
  • Liked: 316
  • Likes Given: 1554
From the updates thread:
Rotation per request, tuned by different spring force.

What would be the benefits for adding rotation to the satellite?

Offline Alexphysics

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1605
  • Spain
  • Liked: 5917
  • Likes Given: 945
From the updates thread:
Rotation per request, tuned by different spring force.

What would be the benefits for adding rotation to the satellite?

BBQ roll to manage thermal loads until the thermal management system is online.

Online ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
SpaceX drone video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQKH7KFh3h/

It still amazes me how much faster a Block 5 jumps off the pad than previous iterations of the vehicle.

Offline FutureSpaceTourist

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 48174
  • UK
    • Plan 28
  • Liked: 81684
  • Likes Given: 36941

Offline Wolfram66

Anyone know what the object is by front left landing leg? Some new safing gadget? I do not remember seeing this before. Something to do with octograbber ops?

Offline ChrisC

  • Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2216
  • Liked: 1561
  • Likes Given: 1749
SpaceX Es'hail-2 Launch - UP CLOSE VIEWS
AmericaSpace
Published on Nov 16, 2018
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Hi8FzoQAweA

This is an incredible collection.  Props to Jeff Siebert!

Was it normal for the rainbirds to go to full flow that late? (This can be seen in just about every shot shown in this video.)  I know they don't go full flow during the engine startup sequence, but it seems like they ramped up to full flow about one second too late, based on plume impingment.
« Last Edit: 11/17/2018 04:21 am by ChrisC »
PSA #1: EST does NOT mean "Eastern Time".  Use "Eastern" or "ET" instead, all year round, and avoid this common error.  Google "EST vs EDT".
PSA #2: It's and its: know the difference and quietly impress grammar pedants.  Google "angry flower its" .  *** See profile for two more NSF forum tips. ***

Offline penguin44

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 246
  • Liked: 93
  • Likes Given: 334
Anyone know what the object is by front left landing leg? Some new safing gadget? I do not remember seeing this before. Something to do with octograbber ops?
I watched it as well. Turns out it was just video noise.

Offline Lar

  • Fan boy at large
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13463
  • Saw Gemini live on TV
  • A large LEGO storage facility ... in Michigan
  • Liked: 11864
  • Likes Given: 11086
Anyone know what the object is by front left landing leg? Some new safing gadget? I do not remember seeing this before. Something to do with octograbber ops?
I thought it was a screen artifact but I could  be wrong.
"I think it would be great to be born on Earth and to die on Mars. Just hopefully not at the point of impact." -Elon Musk
"We're a little bit like the dog who caught the bus" - Musk after CRS-8 S1 successfully landed on ASDS OCISLY

Offline Lars-J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6809
  • California
  • Liked: 8485
  • Likes Given: 5384
Was it normal for the rainbirds to go to full flow that late? (This can be seen in just about every shot shown in this video.)  I know they don't go full flow during the engine startup sequence, but it seems like they ramped up to full flow about one second too late, based on plume impingment.

The rainbirds seems to turn on about the same time as earlier launches. It does appear late at first glance, but they output a LOT of water. That amount of water could damage the rocket, so they wait to go full power until the rocket is clears the rainbird height.

Offline soltasto

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 636
  • Italy, Earth
  • Liked: 1118
  • Likes Given: 40
Two cataloged objects launched by this mission:

2018-090A   2018-11-15 22:50 UTC - 201/37688km/25.02°
2018-090B   2018-11-15 22:43 UTC - 194/37539km/24.99°

1744 m/s to GSO.

http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/gto.zip

Enter initial perigee height (km): 201
Enter initial apogee height (km): 37688
Enter required inclination change (deg): 25.02

theta1 = 25.02 deg, dv1 = 1712.5 m/s
theta2 =  0.00 deg, dv2 =   33.7 m/s
dv = 1746.3 m/s

theta1 = 24.78 deg, dv1 = 1707.8 m/s
theta2 =  0.24 deg, dv2 =   36.1 m/s
dv = 1744.0 m/s

Getting basically the same numbers:

Current Orbit: 201.0000 km x 37688.0000 km x 25.0200 degrees;
Apogee Speed: 1532.5234 m/s; Perigee Speed: 10274.1099 m/s; delta v to this orbit: 0.0000


Super-sync transfer.

First maneuver:
Perigee changed to 35786km
Inclination changed to 0.2427 degrees
Current Orbit: 35786.0000 km x 37688.0000 km x 0.2427 degrees;
Apogee Speed: 2974.4558 m/s; Perigee Speed: 3108.6545 m/s; delta v to this orbit: 1708.3423


Second maneuver:
Apogee changed to 35786km
Inclination changed to 0 degrees
Current Orbit: 35786.0000 km x 35786.0000 km x 0.0000 degrees;
Apogee Speed: 3074.9218 m/s; Perigee Speed: 3074.9218 m/s; delta v to this orbit: 1744.5279


Total delta v to GEO: 1744.5279 m/s

Offline ZachS09

  • Space Savant
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8407
  • Roanoke, TX
  • Liked: 2345
  • Likes Given: 2060
Was it normal for the rainbirds to go to full flow that late? (This can be seen in just about every shot shown in this video.)  I know they don't go full flow during the engine startup sequence, but it seems like they ramped up to full flow about one second too late, based on plume impingment.
The rainbirds seems to turn on about the same time as earlier launches. It does appear late at first glance, but they output a LOT of water. That amount of water could damage the rocket, so they wait to go full power until the rocket is clears the rainbird height.

What about the two rainbirds on the north side of the pad? The only times I saw them activate were during the Falcon Heavy Test Flight and Bangabandhu 1. They weren’t used for Es’hail 2.
Liftoff for St. Jude's! Go Dragon, Go Falcon, Godspeed Inspiration4!

Offline russianhalo117

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8755
  • Liked: 4673
  • Likes Given: 768
Was it normal for the rainbirds to go to full flow that late? (This can be seen in just about every shot shown in this video.)  I know they don't go full flow during the engine startup sequence, but it seems like they ramped up to full flow about one second too late, based on plume impingment.
The rainbirds seems to turn on about the same time as earlier launches. It does appear late at first glance, but they output a LOT of water. That amount of water could damage the rocket, so they wait to go full power until the rocket is clears the rainbird height.

What about the two rainbirds on the north side of the pad? The only times I saw them activate were during the Falcon Heavy Test Flight and Bangabandhu 1. They weren’t used for Es’hail 2.

they have valves that shut off flow to them.

Offline Wolfram66

Anyone know what the object is by front left landing leg? Some new safing gadget? I do not remember seeing this before. Something to do with octograbber ops?
I thought it was a screen artifact but I could  be wrong.

Thanks guys! I thought that at first, but the artifact looked like it has a shadow and cruciform base.. funny how the brain fills in the blanks when shadows and lines on the deck come together.

Offline theinternetftw

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 865
    • www.theinternetftw.com
  • Liked: 2195
  • Likes Given: 1000
This has to be one of, if not the fastest times to go horizontal after arrival!

Best I can tell, it's the second fastest to horizontal, at ~1.96 days after docking.  Beating it is Merah Putih at ~1.69 days. More here.

Offline tyrred

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 920
  • Seattle
  • Liked: 750
  • Likes Given: 20640
This has to be one of, if not the fastest times to go horizontal after arrival!

Best I can tell, it's the second fastest to horizontal, at ~1.96 days after docking.  Beating it is Merah Putih at ~1.69 days. More here.

Docked to horizontal... DTH?  Sweet, a new acronym?

Offline TripleSeven

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1145
  • Istanbul Turkey and Santa Fe TEXAS USA
  • Liked: 588
  • Likes Given: 2095
https://twitter.com/brianweeden/status/1067510452207394816

Thanks to the internet I am listening to its beacon via my amateur radio station in Istanbul...we will soon have Phase IV...

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0